“It’s easy to talk to you,” she said. “I feel like I can tell you anything and you won’t judge me for it.”
“I won’t. I’m not perfect, so who am I to judge? And Kaia, I’ve known a lot of sea nymphs. Even slept with a few.” He didn’t seem embarrassed or bragging about it, just stating a fact. “I know what sea nymphs are like, and they’re lovely ladies, inside and out. But not like you. You’re... more. I can’t explain it.” He shook his head. “I’m not embarrassed about my past. And you shouldn’t be embarrassed about yours, either. Besides, your sexual history is no one’s business but ours.”
“Ours?” She raised a brow.
He nodded. “Yep. Since I’m going to be the guy you end up giving your V-card to, I have a say in your history. I’m going tobeyour history.” He chuckled at the piqued look she shot him. “Have I told you I get a kick out of you when you’re feisty? I love a chick with smarts and sass.”
She gave him a large grin. “I’m not a chick, you big goof. I’m a nymph.”
“A sexy one who owes me a kiss.” He turned his head and pointed at his cheek. “Come on. I’ve been a good boy, haven’t I?”
She leaned up to give him a peck on the cheek.
He sighed and looked down at her. “Why does that feel so good, Kaia? Holding you in my arms, seeing you smile, it’s everything.”
She didn’t know. But she put her head back down on his chest and breathed him in, the clean scent of affection and vampire stealing into her heart.
CHAPTERELEVEN
The next evening, after Orion had patrolled the grounds and learned no one was actually staying in the cabin across the lake, they decided on a swim.
“It feels lovely in here,” Kaia said, sighing as she stepped into the cold water. Though the outside temperature gave her chills, once she surrounded herself in water, she felt nothing but comfort. Even had she gone native sea nymph, wearing nothing at all, the water would have felt like bathwater. Hmm. Naked swimming with the vampire?
The truth was she’d thought about it, but teasing the big vryko wouldn’t be safe or fair. She knew he wanted her. But she meant it about being good to him, afraid if they did have sex, that physical tie might further cement the magical tie between them. Her goal was to give him his freedom, not make things between them worse.
He smiled at her as he walked in the water, clad in only his jeans. Likely because he knew how much she liked looking at his body. Such a broad chest with muscular arms, a body long and strong and colored a light tan, an odd shade for a creature doomed from ever seeing the sun.
“How are you so tan? I thought all vampires were pale.”
“That’s another piece of fiction right there.” Orion dunked his head and swam around with the grace of the merfolk. When he surfaced, he said, “We come in all colors and sizes. The melanin is a trick, a way to better blend with our prey. Pretty tough to surprise humans if we’re all pale as death with fangs.”
“I guess, but your eyes surely give you away.”
“What?”
“They’re red.”
“Huh. That’s weird.” He swam closer to her, and they remained in place with no effort, comfortable in the lake’s icy water.
“What color are they usually?”
“Black, but we get away with pretending our eyes are dark brown. That’s something all of us have in common. That we’re all male too. Our eyes turn red when we experience great hunger, distress, or...” He grinned.
She sighed. “Or?”
“Lust.” He smacked his lips.
Kaia had the sense to avoid that comment and dove deep. She shot through the water and swam deeper, threading through strands of vegetation and fish. There was nothing magical in the water except for them, and she appreciated the empty space to just be.
Orion followed her, the two of them laughing as they raced through the water.
“You’re so graceful,” he said in the way of water-magir, his words easy to hear, carried by their element.
“So are you, for a land-dweller.” She winked.
He guffawed. “Ha. I’m of the vrykolakas tribe. I was birthed in the water.”
She hadn’t realized that. “Really?”
